Routine
by Alice-in-french
Summary: But it wasn’t a date because he hadn’t actually asked and she wouldn’t have accepted even if he had. A RoseScorpius romance...of sorts.


Life after the war was strange. For so many years, fierce hatred had colored the lines between good and evil. If you weren't for Lord Voldemort, you were against him. If you weren't against Lord Voldemort, you were for him. There was no gray. There was no mingling between the two sides.

When the war ended, there were some people who were obviously on one side or the other. Then there were some who were toeing the line, entering the previously non-existent gray area.

Those who survived the war tried to avoid the gray people. Even a simple hello was extremely awkward. Were they friend or foe? What did they really think? Was it possible to completely change your mind? And so the black people stayed black, and the white people stayed white, and they gray people stayed gray, and they did not merge.

It wasn't a perfect social order, but no one wanted to change it. Hadn't they already gone through enough? This was just the way it was, and they were more or less fine with it.

It was different for the children of the survivors.

They knew every minute detail about the war. The Ministry - now headed by Kingsley Shacklebolt – was fearfully determined to never let such an anti-muggle sentiment grow again and so wizard children were taught to be pro-muggle, and of the horrors of Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters.

But just because the new generation was muggle friendly, didn't mean they were friendly to fellow wizards and witches. If your father had an enemy, they were your enemy as well. It was easier that way. Why change what had been going on for years? Why muddle with what was and wade into unknown waters?

But in Hogwarts it was hard to stay away from those you opposed. Some students mingled, whether willingly or not.

Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy were easily the two smartest students to have graced Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Miss Weasley's talent easily matched her mothers', and Mr. Malfoy's far surpassed his father's; all the teachers agreed on that.

Even today, Rose and Scorpius aren't really sure what started their friendship. It was seventh year, and they had all the same classes, the most advanced N.E.W.T. subjects. They were also Head Boy and Girl.

Maybe it was the fact that Rose was trying to separate herself from her parent's hero status. She was a Gryffindor not because of her father's courage, but because of her own. She was not a genius just because her mother was, but because she honestly loved learning and diligently applied herself. She was neither Ron Weasley nor Hermione Granger. She was Rose.

Maybe it was the fact that Scorpius was out to prove that he was better than his father. He was not cowardly, and he would not punish others for sport. He was Slytherin, but because of his cunning and street smarts, not because he was deceitful or malicious. He was not Draco Malfoy and he never would be.

Each class turned into a battle of wits between the two. Whose potion was better? Who understood the theory of transfiguration more acutely? The few other students in the class were lucky if they even had a chance to put their hand in the air.

Quidditch matches were brutal. It wasn't just Gryffindor vs. Slytherin, it was Rose vs. Scorpius.

By seventh year, the entire school was Rose vs. Scorpius. All the gossip centered on the pair.

They showed each other one civility past common courtesy. They were never underhanded toward each other in competitions, although sometimes they wanted to be if things got desperate. Rose's Gryffindor honor wouldn't allow it, and Scorpius' respect for her always held him back.

It was Christmas that started the change.

He wished her a happy holiday as she boarded the Hogwarts Express to go home. So she sent him a card on Christmas Day, because she knew the castle got lonely during breaks, and she felt no one, not even Scorpius Malfoy, should be lonely on Christmas Day.

The first Hogsmeade weekend after break, they sat and drank butterbeer together at the Three Broomsticks. But it wasn't a date because he hadn't actually asked and she wouldn't have accepted even if he had. They didn't say much the whole time, but they both left with a more amiable feeling toward the other.

Rose broke up with her boyfriend two weeks later. She was never able to satisfactorily answer why she did so.

Scorpius actually asked her to Hogsmeade the next trip. She refused him on principle, but they saw each other in Honeyduke's and together they made their way to the Three Broomsticks and had another butterbeer together. But it still wasn't a date because she hadn't actually accepted.

They started walking to class together, and performing their duties as Heads together.

On the third Hogsmeade trip after Christmas, he asked her to go with him, and she accepted.

It was a date, and the school called them a couple, but that wasn't true.

Because she was still a Weasley and a Gryffindor and he was still a Malfoy and a Slytherin. And some prejudices can't be completely overcome by two people alone.

And so they continued their time at Hogwarts much the same.

They battled in the classroom and on the Quidditch pitch.

They did their rounds together, and sometimes even studied together.

Sometimes he would ask her to Hogsmeade, and sometimes she would accept. Either way they always seemed to end up at the same table in the Three Broomsticks.

After Hogwarts they went on to pursue separate careers. Rose was training to become a Healer, and Scorpius to become an Auror. Both had very vigorous and hectic schedules, but they each made sure they had time for morning tea in little-known tea shop in Diagon Alley, a couple shops down from Flourish and Blotts.

Scorpius would always arrive first. He would pick up two copies of the Daily Prophet, then order for both of them. For himself he ordered a simple herbal tea, and for her, a much stronger coffee.

Rose always came a little later than she meant too, and left earlier than she would have liked, but her training day started earlier than his and she just couldn't help it.

Scorpius would grumble about what turned up on the Prophet's front page each day, and she would tell him that if it bothered him so much he should stop reading it. He would tell her to bugger off, he didn't need some Gryffindor telling him what to do, and she acquiesced, at least to the point where he couldn't see her face because it was hiding behind the Quidditch section. They would always argue about who would pay for the newspapers and drinks, and Scorpius always won.

And the other patrons of the tea shop gossiped about the blonde and the ginger who only stopped for morning drinks, and bets were placed on whether they would marry or hex each other.

The latter became quite rich one day in late April. Scorpius was in a foul mood, he had just had a row with his father, and Rose, who usually lifted his mood, wasn't her normal calming balm for his temper this morning. And so when her clumsiness got the best of her and she accidentally spilled her coffee and his tea all over his white shirt, he yelled at her and called her a filthy mudblood. She stared at him for a moment before whipping out her wand and jinxing him.

Rose didn't show up the next morning.

Nor the next.

Scorpius, who was quite ready to apologize and slightly annoyed that Rose wouldn't grant him her presence so that he could, went to St. Mungo's in search of her. He found her in the ward for minor diseases, checking on a patient. She resolutely ignored him until he grabbed her shoulders and turned her round. Then, for some reason he couldn't fathom, he kissed her.

"I'm sorry."

And then he left.

She was at the tea shop before he was the next morning, Daily Prophets and drinks waiting.

"I'm sorry, too."

And their routine went on as normal, except for the not so little wish in the back of their heads to kiss again.


End file.
